When roster cuts happen, it’s common for players to be dissatisfied to see trusted veterans departing the team. The irony is that in Graham’s case, the cuts could be moves with his own long-term future in mind.

The Saints have until July 15, which is the deadline when franchise tags can be replaced with long-term deals, to work out an agreement with Graham. That seemed unlikely up to this point.

Graham’s market value is expected to make him the NFL’s top-paid tight end. The Saints, after all, need some cap space to make that happen. To get there, veterans needed to be released. Graham may be unhappy, now, to see some of his former teammates leaving the Saints.

But if the franchise starts to make serious progress toward a long-term deal, these roster cuts were a vital step toward making it happen.